Chapter: 24. The Girl He Likes
For Kanade, it was a long-lost, incredibly nostalgic feeling.
Since he went to the Moon Academy and became an S-class esper, he had always been in a dominant, proactive position in every aspect of his daily life. Even if he did not intend to, everyone who interacted with him would be unconsciously overwhelmed by his presence—
But in this dance, he was always following the rhythm set by the other person.
From her gaze to her movements, everything was guided with extreme tenderness and patience, as if she saw him as a little boy who didn’t understand anything.
This reminded Kanade of the school cultural festival from many years ago, when he was still an oblivious child completely inexperienced in dancing, yet able to perform an elegant dance under the guidance of that princess—
Just like now.
The melody rose, and the rhythm steadily progressed to its peak.
The lights in the venue gradually focused, narrowing in on the two silhouettes in the center of the dance floor.
They twisted and turned in the light, the hems of their dresses and clothes billowing, like two star trails moving in opposite directions, interweaving and entangling, perfectly fitting together.
Nagi began to move lightly with the melody, her toes grazing the ground, and with each leap, her dress unfurled in the air, resembling a pitch-black starburst, with sequins like stars of the night sky cascading in silver brilliance with each step.
One hand rested on Kanade’s shoulder, while the other was firmly held by him, her arm’s curve soft as a feather. With every turn and spin, she seemed like a black swan dancing in the wind—exquisite, elegant, and dreamlike.
Kanade’s movements were stable and crisp, the rhythm of his steps precise to the point of perfection, harmonizing seamlessly with the girl before him.
He led, turned, and supported her, not hesitating even slightly at the most complicated dance steps—their synchronization felt as though it had undergone countless rehearsals, yet it was incredibly natural, as if it were predestined.
All around them, freshmen, upperclassmen, and faculty members were captivated, their gazes fixed on the pair.
At that moment, they were the absolute protagonists of the event.
In the minds of nearly all the audience, a single thought surfaced:
——They are such a perfect match.
Many girls couldn’t help but cup their faces with their hands, letting out little squeals, as if the two before them were the most perfect prince and princess stepping out of a fairy tale.
It wasn’t until the music reached its final note that delayed applause resonated in the venue.
Somebody started clapping first, and the applause rolled in like a wave from all around the dance floor.
Moments later, the entire hall erupted with thunderous cheers.
……
……
Low whispers and praises still echoed around, but the pair in the center of the dance floor had gently separated.
In a slightly remote corner away from the crowd, Kanade, acting like a gentleman, released Nagi’s hand, stepping back a half pace, and asked softly with some concern:
“Are you alright?”
He noticed that the girl before him looked a bit flustered, and even the dimly lit venue couldn’t hide the blush creeping to her ears and her slightly hurried breaths.
Along with an unusual warmth radiating from her.
After their dance, fine beads of sweat had formed on the girl’s forehead.
These droplets trailed down her fair neck, gathering into small whorls at her collarbone, then slowly dripping into the deep ravine of her cleavage.
Standing beside her, he could clearly smell a unique sweet fragrance in the air, a blend of perfume and body scent that made one unable to resist wanting to draw nearer.
Kanade couldn’t help but feel this scent was incredibly alluring—so much so that he forcibly redirected his gaze from her glossy, sweat-drenched form and softly suggested, “Do you need to step outside for some fresh air?”
Nagi slowly lifted her head at his words, then softly replied, “…Mm.”
At that moment, she too desperately needed fresh air and time to calm down.
Because after just finishing a dance with Kanade, she felt a bit dizzy, a touch light-headed.
She hadn’t even noticed her incredibly alluring appearance, with the skin exposed from her chest appearing as if coated with oil, shining translucently under the gentle indoor lights, not to mention the scene of her soft curves swaying rhythmically with her steps.
Had it not been for the dim lighting, it was likely that eighty percent of the boys present would have found themselves in an awkward position, unable to look away.
The two moved to a quieter area outside, one after the other.
Under the warm light in a corner of the banquet hall, their light silhouettes were reflected as the sounds of conversation around them gradually faded away.
Nagi knew she had to cool her head quickly—
Because the state of being light-headed from too much happiness and excitement was not suitable for interacting with Kanade.
If she let slip any flaws, it would be a disaster.
To distract herself, she instinctively glanced around, searching for Erika’s figure in the banquet hall.
Erika had found her dance partner from the start of the freshman gathering.
However, Nagi had never seen him once, nor had she heard any news about that boy.
So she was a bit curious about what kind of dance partner the sunny, beautiful, and alluring Erika would have.
As a result, after scanning the dance floor, Nagi couldn’t find Erika.
It wasn’t until she searched the entire venue that her gaze finally settled on a corner near the buffet area.
There, a tan figure stood out prominently.
Erika was wearing the fiery red dress she had boasted about to Nagi for so long.
With the motto “You should try everything,” Erika was now standing with her hands on her hips, wielding a dessert fork, eagerly devouring a ridiculously oversized fruit cake, and her plate was piled high with various puddings, donuts, macarons, and other sweets.
It seemed she was embodying her life attitude of “you should try everything.”
Opposite her was a seemingly earnest boy.
With round cheeks showing a hint of baby fat, dressed in an obviously undersized formal suit, and cream smeared at the corners of his mouth, he wore a silly grin.
The atmosphere between the two didn’t seem like dance partners, but rather like food enthusiasts teaming up to enjoy the buffet.
Nagi was stunned for a moment.
Then she couldn’t help but let out a wry smile.
She even saw Erika nodding happily at her plate, eyes sparkling with delight, even before swallowing the food in her mouth as her gaze drifted to another culinary delight not far away.
Meanwhile, that chubby dance partner seemed to be earnestly explaining the flavor composition of a particular dessert to Erika, gesturing animatedly while wiping sweat from his brow, as if he were engaged in a passionate “dessert sermon.”
No wonder Erika had chosen her partner so early; it turned out she was already well-prepared to indulge in this luxurious buffet.
For someone like Erika, who had been born and raised in a war-torn desert, opportunities like this full of delicious food were rare.
Her happy expression spoke volumes about how joyfully she was enjoying her meal at that moment.
Just by looking at her face, it was unlikely anyone would have the heart to mock her awkward eating style.
Instead, people would probably perceive her as pure and kind-hearted.
Now that Nagi had eased her worries, she finally regained some composure, shifting her gaze back to Kanade beside her.
He too seemed to have restored his usual indifferent expression.
This made Nagi unconsciously harbor a bold thought—and blurt it out:
“Um, Tsukimi-senpai, do you have a girl you like?”
